Nazi flag found in truck that crashed into White House fence

Authorities in Washington, DC arrested the driver of a box truck that crashed into security barriers in Lafayette Square adjacent to the White House grounds on Monday night, according to a US Secret Service spokesman.

The truck was deemed safe by District of Columbia police, the Secret Service said, adding that charges would be filed by the US Park Police with investigative support from the Secret Service.

Police were seen searching the truck after the incident. Items such as a Nazi flag and a backpack appear to have been recovered from the vehicle.

“No Secret Service or White House personnel were injured, and the cause and manner of the accident remain under investigation,” Anthony Guglielmi, the US Secret Service’s communications chief, said on Twitter.

“The driver may have intentionally crashed into the safety barriers,” Guglielmi said in a second tweet, which announced the truck was deemed safe.

Some roads and pedestrian walkways around the park have been closed, according to the Secret Service.

The nearby Hay Adams Hotel was evacuated at the request of the Secret Service, the Washington Post reported, citing a hotel official.

Washington, DC television station WUSA showed live video of a box-type U-Haul truck parked next to a row of steel bollards, with uniformed officers and a dog approaching the vehicle.

A remote-controlled robot opened the truck’s tailgate, revealing a cart but no other obvious cargo.

After crashing, the driver hit the barriers a second time, WUSA reported, citing a witness account.

A brief video posted on social media shows a U-Haul crashing into barriers a short distance away, which the person who posted it said was the second time. Reuters could not verify the authenticity of the video.

A spokesman for the Washington Fire Department said a call was received at 9:40 pm local time for what was described as a suspicious package investigation.